Fatal trailer collision in Malaysia leaves two dead, seven injured

MALAYSIA: On Wednesday (20 Sept), a tragic incident unfolded on Jalan Persiaran Utara in Putrajaya, Malaysia. At 10:15 a.m., a sand-laden trailer collided with a procession of 13 vehicles en route to Puchong.

This devastating accident resulted in the loss of two lives, with seven individuals sustaining injuries, while five others miraculously escaped unscathed.

The deceased victims were identified as Faris Haziq Abu Bakar, a 25-year-old employee of Pos Malaysia, and Yuswar Mohd Uyus, a 39-year-old employee of Ampang Court.

The incident unfolded as the sand-laden trailer collided with a column of vehicles, including a one-tonne lorry, seven cars, and five motorcycles, among which was a traffic police motorcycle.

These vehicles had been instructed to halt in the lane by traffic police officers who were conducting training and charting the route for the upcoming Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) event.

Upon apprehension, the 25-year-old trailer driver, who had no previous traffic violations and tested negative for drugs, claimed that he was unable to bring the trailer to a stop in time.

However, ACP A Asmadi Abdul Aziz, Putrajaya district police chief, pointed out that the driver should have had ample time to halt, as indicated by closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the trailer changing lanes from the middle to the left just before colliding with the vehicles.

“We don’t know whether the driver was distracted or using a mobile phone,” he said.

Asmadi also noted that the trailer seems to be in a new condition.

“For us, he had the opportunity to stop. Other vehicles came to a halt properly when instructed by traffic officers,” he conveyed to reporters at the accident scene.

He further mentioned that inquiries would persist, particularly regarding the trailer’s technical aspects, and that the driver would be detained to aid in the ongoing investigation.

He also appealed to anyone possessing information or evidence related to the incident to cooperate with the police investigation under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Asmadi further stated that the traffic police who conducted the vehicle stop adhered to the entire standard operating procedure designated for their duty.

“In terms of their compliance to the SOP, everything was done properly based on CCTV observation,” he affirmed, also noting that the traffic police officer whose motorcycle was struck emerged unharmed.